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What kind of fitting are you guys using on the Brute trash cans. Im ready to get started on mine and was wondering if they were uni-seals or bulkhead fittings? Im kind of iffy on the uni-seals. Also what size diameter are you using on the PVC?

What kind of fitting are you guys using on the Brute trash cans. Im ready to get started on mine and was wondering if they were uni-seals or bulkhead fittings? Im kind of iffy on the uni-seals. Also what size diameter are you using on the PVC?

Cant speak for the others but I used some seals that are basically big flat rubber washers and silicone. I didnt know about uniseals until after. I would have used them in a sec.

My pipe diameter is 1 inch for the main "mixing" parts and 3/4 pex for the insert line into my main return. Since it is only on for a few minutes adding water, I didnt figure I needed to get larger pipe or worry about it.

Here is my RO storage tank. It was custom made from polypropylene and holds about 80g. I run both my ATO and SW mixing from it. Every Friday I fill up a 40g brute on wheels and pre-mix my SW for the next day's water change. However, I am looking into a 100g SW holding tank.

great thread. my understanding is that the brute trash cans are food grade plastic (and therefore do not leach phosphates), where the rubbermaid containers are not foodgrade.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kc350twin

I haven't had any measurable phosphate in any of them. I have seen the recent thread on this issue and have been wondering. I'm more worried about my refuge and ato containers. They are small Rubbermaid trash cans. I will try and measure the water for po4 tonight or tomorrow.

I am very, very happy with these tanks. Water changes are a piece of cake. If you check out my build thread, which I admittedly haven't updated in a while, you can see the details of how it's incorporated into my system and how the water changes work. If you live near Salisbury, I'd be happy to show you in person.

Just wanted to say that I was really untrusting of those uniseals when I first heard people on here talk about them. I ordered some and when I got them I understood a bit better how they worked. Trust me they are very thick, high grade rubber. Once I saw them in person I was not a bit afraid to use them without the fear of leaks.

Just wanted to say this for anyone that was skeptical of using uniseals.

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Getting out of the hobby for now but I always seem to return.

A really good place to find barrels locally is at feed stores for animals or food storage places that way you dont have to pay shipping my grandma just got 100 gallon one for under $100 at the feed store hope this helps

I am looking at automating my manual water change process right now but the focus of this tank has been minimize electricity (within reason) water volume is 2x old tank but monthly elec is down $5 not huge but still waiting for led to come down in price to replace t-5's

I have noticed large pumps in most of the setup's, my plan is to use two mag 5's to pump the ro and salt for top off and change. They would only run when the water is being pumped. The top off water is not that much so no heater in it and the water change will heat only the day before and day of the change.

To keep the water mixing and fresh, I want to just use an air stone in each tank. Is this ok?

my other question is i have noticed in the past the RO water storage seems to get slimie after a week or so. Do I have to worry about this? I normally do and it wastes a lot of water.

I would use something more than an airstone to mix the water. A Koralia evolution would get the job done well. They're very efficient. The 750 uses only 4.5w.

When I eventually plumb my ATO and automatic water changes via a litermeter, I don't plan on heating either reservoir. The amount of water pumped into the system will be insignificant enough not to impact the temp of the tank.

When I eventually plumb my ATO and automatic water changes via a litermeter, I don't plan on heating either reservoir. The amount of water pumped into the system will be insignificant enough not to impact the temp of the tank.

Just remember to take the temperature into account when you are mixing the salt. I do the samething with not heating the water and doing a slow drip in with the changes, but have already calibrated the amount of salt to put in to water and just repeat.